[Carl]

Since getting the HE60s I have clocked up exactly 0 days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 0 seconds, and 0 milliseconds of listening time on my W5000s, and currently have no motivation to change this figure.

This rather problematic as my living arrangements (and the fact that I enjoy blasting J-pop and punk at 3.30am) don't really support fully open cans. The W5000 was supposed to be my "quiet time" cans.

As they say, "once you go stat, you never go back", and I'm finding this out the hard way.

The only road I can see ahead of me is the 4070 road (no, I don't class the Koss ESP-6 as a viable option

). Does anyone here own one (or have given one a good listen) who would care to comment on how good they are?


Bueno gracias!

 

[smeggy]

I can't say I've ever heard of anyone owning these. It doesn't help that they are made to order which makes them difficult to audition, or return for that matter.

 

[Carl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by smeggy I can't say I've ever heard of anyone owning these.

I've noticed that. A rather thorough search only netted crumbs, too...

 

[Duggeh]

There is no question that if i had the money, theyd be what I'd get, rather even than the O2. The massive individuality factor is the main driving force (that and of course they HAVE to sound good). I believe that almost every pair thats made goes into the japanese broadcasting sector.

But really, these things are less common even than the orpheus system, and considerably cheaper. I say if you can afford to go for it you damn well should, and then you report right back here and give us a 20,000 word chronicle of your adventure.

 

[E.B.M.Head]

Sadly I had no chance yet to hear them, but I've read somewhere they have lots of bass compared to other electrostats.

 

[Carl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duggeh There is no question that if i had the money, theyd be what I'd get, rather even than the O2. The massive individuality factor is the main driving force (that and of course they HAVE to sound good). I believe that almost every pair thats made goes into the japanese broadcasting sector. But really, these things are less common even than the orpheus system, and considerably cheaper. I say if you can afford to go for it you damn well should, and then you report right back here and give us a 20,000 word chronicle of your adventure.

Yeah, I'm grokking with your comments. It'd certainly give me a level of uniqueness with my headphone collection. I'm probably going to the only person on earth who uses these as portible headphones (sure beats iBuds).

I think there are a few other head-fiers who have a pair, but clearly not very many.

I guess someone needs to take one for the team and give them a thourough review (I mean, we haave how many Omega II reviews here by comparison?).


Quote:

Originally Posted by E.B.M.Head Sadly I had no chance yet to hear them, but I've read somewhere they have lots of bass compared to other electrostats.

From what I can garner from Japanese forums, their sonic signature is halfway between electrostat and dynamic, and they have at least as much bass as the O2.

It remains to be seen whether by that they mean "dark" or "recessed mids" though.

 

[Salt Peanuts]

There is someone on the forum who owns a pair. I can't remember who, though.

EDIT - In case you weren't aware, they are based on 404's.

 

[Carl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Salt Peanuts There is someone on the forum who owns a pair. I can't remember who, though.

I know carlflow has one, but I don't think he's ever posted anything about it.

Quote:

EDIT - In case you weren't aware, they are based on 404's.

Yes, but from what I've read they sound quite different to the 303 and 404.

 

[Carl]

Can someone who speaks German translate this for me?

http://www.monomedia.de/download/Stax4070.pdf

 

[E.B.M.Head]

Oh dear it's a lot of text to translate, so maybe I just translate the important parts

:

The author didn't like Headphones at all, and when he was visiting the High End exhibition in Munich the Stax Germany manager was putting the 4070 on his ears before he could start to complain that he doesn't like headphones... He was blown away by the sound. He did know the jazz record that was playing and he always found that contra bass was sounding wobbly and undefined with different Hi End Speakers. With the 4070 it was unbelieveable clear and precise down to lowest bass notes. It was very spacious and he could point to the musicians...
... The 4070 was developed years ago in colaboration with studio masters from the japanese broadcaster NHK and is now available for audiophiles for 3750 Euro. That's a lot of money, even for such high class device like the 4070. But it's worth every cent of it. Only the sets with the Top Model Omega II are even more expensive. The Pros of the 4070 are very clear: It reduces outside noises to a minimum, so it is an ideal tool for outdoor live monitoring or if you don't want to disturbe other people in the room ..

... He compares the two amps and comes to the conclusion that the SR 717 is the more analytical and quicker amp (comparing it to a Bentley or a Stradivari) while the 007t is more musica, more spaciousl and forgiving (comparing it to a Rolls Royce or a Guarneri) ...

... The comparasition to the high class violins shouldn't underestimate the basspower that the 4070 has. It hasn't only a crystal clear and presurefull deep bass of deep organ notes or contra bass, it also gives the right timbre to the playing of big concerto piano like a Steinway...

... Both amps let the 4070 play in it's own league, where headphone listening starts to make sense and give you a totaly uncomparable, own and nearly surreal enjoyment of music. No Speaker is able to take you completely out of the real world and let's you dive into such better and higher truth than the 4070. So there is no point to discuss about the price: Much higher priced speakers don't give you half the joy that the 4070 does.



I hope the lyrical german audiophile slang makes also sence in this translation.

 

[smeggy]

Well that certainly sounds positive, thanks E.B.M.

Sadly it's still priced way out of my range so i'll have to remain one of those enigmatic items I'll never get to hear.

 

[Carl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by E.B.M.Head Oh dear it's a lot of text to translate, so maybe I just translate the important parts : [...] I hope the lyrical german audiophile slang makes also sence in this translation.

Danke schön, E.B.M.

I'm really starting to get interested in these, now.

 

[E.B.M.Head]

You're welcome guys

Even that the author likes what he hears, I wouldn't rate that review too high, as he doesn't seem to have much headphone experience. It's unclear if he heard some high class electrostats like the Omega II or HE 90 before, or was only listening to some iPod Earbuds before

 

[smeggy]

Well if they are better than ibuds that has to say something because ibuds are only just below Triports in Sound quality and, as we all know, triports are the best in the world. High praise for the Stax indeed!

 

[Carl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by E.B.M.Head You're welcome guys Even that the author likes what he hears, I wouldn't rate that review too high, as he doesn't seem to have much headphone experience. It's unclear if he heard some high class electrostats like the Omega II or HE 90 before, or was only listening to some iPod Earbuds before

Yeah, I gathered as much.

But from what I've been reading from people who know better (I've even been giving my miserable Japanese abilities a work out, and reading reports on 2 Channel), it doesn't embarass itself, even in the presence of the O2. It's just rather expensive, which I guess is just something I'm going to have to live with in exchanged for a closed electrostatic.

Luckily, one of my family members is over in Japan right now, so all going well I'll be getting it at Japanese street pricing, rather than with a hefty mark-up.


Quote:

Originally Posted by smeggy Well if they are better than ibuds that has to say something because ibuds are only just below Triports in Sound quality and, as we all know, triports are the best in the world. High praise for the Stax indeed!

Now logic like that is what the internet it all about!